Cartridge storage device

ABSTRACT

A device for accommodating a cartridge including a holder supported at one end thereof by a pivot on a chassis and positionable as inclined upward with respect to the chassis for the cartridge to be inserted thereinto. A fitting pin is provided on the chassis and is fittable into a positioning cutout formed in a front end portion of the cartridge and opened as at opening on a front side thereof. The fitting pin has a top end positioned below the path L of movement of the upper end of the opening when the cartridge is inserted into the holder and positioned above the point X of intersection of the fitting pin with the path M of movement of the lower surface of the cartridge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device for accommodating a cartridgehaving enclosed therein a disk serving as a recording medium and, moreparticularly, to a disk recording or playback device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Cartridges having enclosed therein a disk serving as a recording mediumare well-known. FIG. 4A is a plan view of a cartridge 6 previouslyproposed by the present applicant, and FIG. 4B is a side elevation ofthe same.

The proposed cartridge is designed for use in recording or playbackdevices of the superresolution type. A disk 60 is rotatably held withinthe cartridge 6 which is made from a synthetic resin, with a shutter 63slidably provided on the upper wall of the cartridge 6 for alternativelyexposing or closing the disk 60. The cartridge 6 has a positioningcutout 61, erroneous insertion preventing cavity 64 and fitting cavity65 which are opened on the bottom side.

The shutter 63 is biased in a closing direction by a torsion spring 67provided inside the cartridge 6. As shown in FIG. 4B, the torsion spring67 is inserted into the cartridge 6 through an opening 66 formed in aside wall of the cartridge 6. The shutter 63 is usually closed toprevent dust from entering the cartridge and adhering to the disk 60.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation showing a disk recording or playback devicefor accommodating the cartridge 6. A holder 3 to be loaded with thecartridge 6 is supported at a base end thereof by pivots 32 on one endof a chassis 1 having a turntable 7 and a pickup 70 mounted thereon. Thedirection of insertion of the cartridge 6 is matched with the slidingdirection of the shutter 63. The cartridge 6 is inserted into the holder3 as it is raised, with its opening 66 facing toward the right.

Projecting inward from opposite side walls of the holder 3 are supportplates 30, 30 for supporting the bottom of the cartridge 6. The holder 3is provided inside thereof with a mechanism (not shown) for opening theshutter 63. A beam is projected from the pickup 70 onto the disk 60 asexposed by opening the shutter 63. In the following description, thedirection in which the cartridge 6 is inserted into the holder 3 will bereferred to as the “front,” and the direction in which it is dischargedtherefrom as the “rear.”

The chassis 1 is provided at its front and rear ends with a firstfitting pin 5 and a second fitting pin 5 a fittable into the positioningcutout 61 in the cartridge 6 and the fitting cavity 65 thereof,respectively. Each of the fitting pins 5, 5 a comprises a solidcylindrical prop 50 for supporting the lower wall of the cartridge 6 anda conical guide 51 projecting from the top of the prop 50.

The positioning cutout 61 and the erroneous insertion preventing cavity61 extend forward or rearward, and the cutout 61 has a width S slightlysmaller than the diameter of lower end of the guide 51 (see FIG. 4A).The positioning cutout 61 is partly opened on the front side asindicated at 62.

When the cartridge 6 is inserted into the holder 3, the positioningcutout 61 fits around the guide 51 of the first fitting pin 5, wherebythe cartridge 6 is prevented from producing backlash laterally of theholder. When the holder 3 is pivotally moved down, the cartridge 6 isplaced on the top of the props 50. The disk 60 is placed on theturntable 7 for recording or reproduction of signals.

FIG. 5 is a plan view in section of the holder 3 as lowered, with thepivots 32, 32 for the holder 3 directed laterally. For the sake ofconvenience of description, the top wall of the holder 3 is not shown.FIG. 6 is a front view of the holder 3 as seen from the direction B inFIG. 5. The support plate 30 at right has a raised end to serve as aprojection 31 for preventing misinsertion. The support plate 30 at lefthas an aperture 33 formed in a rear end portion thereof for the secondfitting pin 5 a to extend therethrough.

When the cartridge 6 is inserted into the holder 3, the misinsertionpreventing projection 31 fits into the erroneous insertion preventingcavity 64. Should the cartridge 6 be inserted as turned upside down, theprojection 31 fails to fit into the cavity 64, so that the cartridge 6can not be inserted into the holder 3. This indicates to the user thatthe cartridge 6 is erroneously inserted upside down.

However, the conventional signal recording or reproduction device hasthe following problem.

A minicartridge 8 which is smaller than the cartridge 6 proposed by thepresent applicant in front-to-rear length has recently been proposed byother manufacturers. The minicartridge 8 has enclosed therein a diskwhich differs in recording or playback specifications from the disk 60in the cartridge 6 proposed by the present applicant. As indicated in achain line in FIG. 7, the minicartridge 8 has a rearwardly recessedportion 81 formed in its front end and extending from the midportionthereof toward the right end. Furthermore, the minicartridge 8 has apositioning cavity 68 formed in a front end portion thereof forrestraining the cartridge from backlashing laterally. The cavity 68 hasan opening in the lower wall of the cartridge and a closed front end.

The disk within the minicartridge 8 is different from the disk 60 in thecartridge 6 in recording or playback specifications and should thereforenot be inserted into the holder 3. However, if the minicartridge 8 isinserted into the holder 3 of the conventional device in error, theminicartridge 8 is accommodated in the holder 3, without the likelihoodof the recessed portion 81 reaching the misinsertion preventingprojection 31. Thus, the minicartridge 8 is undesirably inserted intothe holder 3 despite the provision of the projection 31.

In view of the above problem, the present applicant has conceived theidea of preventing the minicartridge 8 from being inserted in error bythe first fitting pin 5 for determining the position of the cartridge 6on the chassis 1. Because the recessed portion 81 of the minicartridge 8is recessed rearward, the minicartridge 8 fails to come into contactwith the misinsertion preventing projection 31 positioned at the rightend of the holder 3, whereas the minicartridge 8 comes into contact withthe first fitting pin 5 on the chassis 1 at the left end of the holder3. For this reason, an attempt is made to prevent the minicartridge 8from being inserted into the holder 3 in error by the first fitting pin5.

An object of the present invention is to prevent cartridges other thanthe regular cartridge from being inserted into the holder in error bysimple means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A fitting pin 5 provided on a chassis 1 is fittable into a positioningcutout 61 formed in a front end portion of a cartridge 6 and opened asat 62 on a front side thereof. The fitting pin 5 has a top endpositioned below the path L of movement of the upper end of the opening62 when the cartridge 6 is inserted into a holder 3 and positioned abovethe point X of intersection of the fitting pin 5 with the path M ofmovement of the lower surface of the cartridge 6.

Another fitting pin 5 comprises a prop 50 for supporting the lowersurface of the cartridge 6, a guide 51 formed on a top of the prop 50and tapered upward with a decreasing diameter and a misinsertionprecluding portion 52 extending upward from a top of the guide 51 andgenerally orthogonal to the plane of the chassis 1.

The misinsertion precluding portion 52 is positioned on the path M ofmovement of the lower surface of the cartridge 6 when the cartridge 6 isinserted into the holder 3. The portion 52 has a top end positionedbelow the path L of movement of an upper end of the opening 62 of thepositioning cutout 61 when the cartridge 6 is inserted into the holder3.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a disk recording or playback device,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing a cartridge as placed on props offitting pins;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a conventional disk recording or playbackdevice;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are respectively a plan view and a side elevation of acartridge previously proposed by the present applicant;

FIG. 5 is a plan view in section of a conventional holder,

FIG. 6 is a front view of the holder as it is seen from the direction Bin FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the position relationship between aminicartridge and the holder;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a thin cartridge;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a cartridge when it is to be inserted ina wrong posture into the conventional device;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the cartridge when it is inserted in thewrong posture into the conventional device;

FIG. 11 is a view showing the device as it is seen from the direction A1in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a disk recording or playback devicehaving a different first fitting pin;

FIG. 13 is a front view of the different first fitting pin;

FIG. 14 is a side elevation showing a cartridge as it is to be insertedinto a holder as raised, in a regular specified state;

FIG. 15 is a side elevation showing a cartridge facing toward a wrongdirection when it is to be inserted into the raised holder,

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing another first fitting pin; and

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing an undesirable first fitting pin.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(First Embodiment)

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detailwith reference to the drawings concerned.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a disk recording or playback device andshows a holder 3 as raised. The holder 3 has the same shape as in theprior art. A cartridge 6 is shown in section taken along a planecontaining the line F—F in FIG. 4. The cartridge 6 has a disk 60enclosed therein as in the prior art, and is provided at a front endportion thereof with a positioning cutout 61 which is opened on itsbottom side and front side as indicated at 62. The cartridge 6 has at arear end portion thereof a fitting cavity 65 which is opened on itsbottom side.

A chassis 1 is provided at its front and rear ends with a first fittingpin 5 and a second fitting pin 5 a fittable into the positioning cutout61 and the fitting cavity 65, respectively. Each of the pins 5, 5 acomprises a solid cylindrical prop 50 for supporting the bottom wall ofthe cartridge 6 and a conical guide 51 projecting from the top of theprop 50 as in the prior art. The positioning cutout 61 has a width whichis slightly smaller than the diameter of lower end of the guide 51,whereby the cartridge 6 as fitted to the guide 51 is prevented frombacklashing laterally.

In the present embodiment, the first fitting pin 5 prevents erroneousinsertion of the minicartridge 8. Stated more specifically withreference to FIG. 1, the top end of the guide 51 of the first pin 5 ispositioned below the path L of movement of the upper end of the frontopening 62 of the positioning cutout 61 when the cartridge 6 is insertedinto the holder 3. Furthermore, the top end of the guide 51 ispositioned above the point X of intersection of the first fitting pin 5with the path M of movement of the lower surface of the cartridge 6 whenthe cartridge 6 is inserted into the holder 3.

When the regular cartridge 6 or the minicartridge 8 is to be insertedinto the holder 3, the minicartridge 8 only is prevented from beinginserted by the first pin 5 thus designed as will be described below.

*Insertion of the regular cartridge 6 into the holder 3.

When the cartridge 6 is inserted into the holder 3 as inclined upward,the front opening 62 of the positioning cutout 61 is opposed to thefirst fitting pin 5. Because the top end of the pin 5 is positionedbelow the path L of movement of the upper end of the opening 62, thefirst pin 5 does not interfere with the insertion of the cartridge 6 butis fitted into the cutout 61.

*Erroneous insertion of the minicartridge 8 into the holder 8.

When the minicartridge 8 is inserted into the upwardly inclined holder 3in error, the minicartridge 8 is blocked by the first pin 5 because thepositioning cavity 68 of the minicartridge 8 has a closed front end andfurther because the top end of the pin 5 is positioned above the point Xof intersection of the pin 5 with the path M of movement of the lowersurface of the cartridge. Thus, the likelihood of the minicartridge 8being inserted into the holder 8 in error is effectively obviated merelyby giving the first pin 5 such a height as described above.

The cartridge 6 which has a thickness of several millimeters will bereferred to as the “regular cartridge.” The regular cartridge 6 isaccommodated in the holder 3 with diminished upward or downwardbacklashes. However, it appears likely that aside from the minicartridge8, a thin cartridge 80 which is about 1 mm smaller than the regularcartridge 6 in thickness and which has approximately the same externalsize as the cartridge 6 as shown in FIG. 8 will be made commerciallyavailable. The thin cartridge 80 should not be inserted into the holder3 but can be accommodated in the holder 3 because this cartridge 80 hasa smaller thickness than the regular cartridge 6. Like the minicartridge8, the thin cartridge 80 has a positioning cavity 68 with a closed frontend.

To prevent the insertion of the thin cartridge 80 into the holder 3, theshortest distance E from the top end of the first fitting pin 5 to therear surface of top plate of the holder 3 is made smaller than thethickness of the cartridge 80 according to the present embodiment asshown in FIG. 1. Consequently, even if an attempt is made to insert thethin cartridge 80 into the holder 3, the cartridge is caught by thefitting pin 5 and is prevented from being inserted.

The shortest distance E from the top end of the fitting pin 5 to therear surface of top plate of the holder 3 is made smaller than thethickness of the cartridge 80, and the pin 5 is further given thefollowing height. FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing the cartridge 6 asplaced on the props 50, 50 of the first and second fitting pins 5, 5 a.Because the pin 5 is accommodated in the positioning cutout 61, theheight C from the lower surface of the cartridge 6 to the inner surfaceof upper wall of the cartridge 6 defining the cutout 61 is greater thanthe height of the guide 51 of the pin 5. Further the guide 51 is higherthan the height A of the front opening 62 of the cutout 61 as measuredfrom the lower surface of the cartridge 6 to the opening upper end.

With the device of the present embodiment, a misinsertion preventingprojection 31 prevents insertion of the cartridge 6 into the holder 3 ifthe cartridge 6 is inserted upside down. However, even if the projection31 is absent, the positioning cutout 61 will face upward if thecartridge 6 is turned upside down, with the result that the front end ofthe cartridge 6 strikes against the guide 51, whereby the cartridge 6 isprevented from being inserted to a full extent.

In summary, the fitting pin 5 of this embodiment prevents the erroneousinsertion into the holder 3 of the cartridge 6 as turned upside down,and the erroneous insertion of the minicartridge 8 and the thincartridge 80 into the holder 3. Thus, the erroneous insertion of thethree kinds of cartridges can be effectively prevented by simple means.

Although the insertion of the minicartridge 8 and the thin cartridge 80can be prevented by the means described above, the insertion of anextraneous article or matter resembling the minicartridge 8 or thincartridge 80 can also be prevented effectively.

(Second Embodiment)

The present applicant has found the following problem with the devicedescribed such that when the regular cartridge 6 facing toward a wrongdirection is forced in, the cartridge 6 is inserted as it is into theholder 3.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the cartridge 6 facing toward awrong direction when it is to be inserted into the holder 3 as opened,FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the same, and FIG. 11 is a view showingthe cartridge as it is seen from the direction A1 in FIG. 10. Thecartridge 6 is shown in FIG. 9 as upside down, with the positioningcutout 61 facing toward the right, when the cartridge in this wrongposture is to be inserted into the holder 3. In this case, the opening66 faces toward the front (see FIG. 11), and when the cartridge 6 isinserted into the holder 3, the forward end of the cartridge 6 comesinto contact with the guide 51 of the first pin 5. If the cartridge 6 isforced in this posture into the holder 3, the lower wall of thecartridge 6 is warped upward by being pushed upward by contact with theguide 51 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 since the guide 51 is tapered. Thecartridge 6 is placed into the holder 3, with the lower wall of thecartridge 6 pushed up by the top end of the guide 51. Thus, thecartridge 6 in the wrong posture is accommodated as it is in the holder3.

The cartridge in this state is not usable correctly for the recording orreproduction of signals. Additionally, the cartridge 6 cannot bewithdrawn from the holder 3 because of the friction between the lowersurface of the cartridge 6 and the guide 51. The first fitting pin 5 isshaped as described below in order to completely eliminate thelikelihood that the cartridge 6 will be inserted in a wrong position.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a disk recording or playback devicehaving a first fitting pin 5 according to the present embodiment. FIG.13 is a front view showing this pin 5 on an enlarged scale.

The first fitting pin 5 comprises a prop 50 for supporting the lowersurface of the cartridge 6, a guide 51 formed on the top of the prop 50and tapered upward with a decreasing diameter and a misinsertionprecluding portion 52 extending upward from the top of the guide 51,generally orthogonal to the plane of the chassis 1 and having a flat topend. The misinsertion precluding portion 52 is in the form of a roundpin. FIG. 12 shows a second fitting pin 5 a, which has the same shape asin the prior art (see FIG. 3) and comprises a prop 50 and a guide 51.

FIG. 14 is a side elevation showing the cartridge 6 to be inserted inthe proper state into the holder 3 as raised. The cartridge 6 is shownin section along a plane containing the line F—F in FIG. 4A. Thepositioning cutout 61 is opened as indicated at 62 on the bottom sideand front side, and the path of movement of the upper end of the frontopening 62 is indicated at L. With the holder 3 in its raised position,the top end of the misinsertion precluding portion 52 is positionedbelow the path L of movement of the upper end of the front opening 62.The portion 52 does not interfere with the advance of the cartridge 6,as inserted in the proper posture, into the holder 3. The misinsertionprecluding portion 52 is positioned on the path M of movement of thelower surface of the cartridge 6 when the cartridge 6 is inserted intothe holder 3.

*Proper insertion of the cartridge

When the cartridge 6 is inserted in the proper posture, the misinsertionprecluding portion 52 does not interfere with the advance of thecartridge 6, so that the first fitting pin 5 is positioned into thecutout 61. The width of the positioning cutout 61 is approximately equalto the diameter of the lower end of the guide 51 as in the prior art.This restrains the guide 51 fitting to the guide 51 from producinglateral backlash.

*Erroneous insertion of the cartridge

FIG. 15 is a side elevation showing the cartridge 6 facing toward awrong direction when the cartridge is to be inserted into the holder 3as raised. As shown in FIG. 9, the cartridge 9 is turned upside down,with the positioning cutout 61 facing toward the right.

The misinsertion precluding portion 52 is positioned on the path M ofmovement of the lower surface of the cartridge 6, so that when insertedinto the holder 3, the cartridge 6 has its lower end brought intocontact with the precluding portion 52. Because the portion 52 is in theform of a round pin, the contact of the cartridge lower end with thisportion 52 does not warp the bottom wall of the cartridge 6 upward.Consequently, even if the cartridge 6 is forced into the holder 3, thebottom wall of the cartridge 6 can be prevented from riding onto thefirst fitting pin 5. Thus, the cartridge 6 is precluded from beinginserted into the holder 3 to a full extent, enabling the user torecognize the misinsertion of the cartridge 6.

If the cartridge 6 is inserted into the holder 3, as turned upside downwith the positioning cutout 61 facing rightward, the insertion isrestricted by the precluding portion 52. Even if the cartridge 6 isinserted in other wrong position, the forward end of the cartridge 6comes into striking contact with the precluding portion 52, whereby theinsertion of the cartridge in the wrong posture is precluded. With theportion 52 thus failing to fit into the positioning cutout 61, theinsertion of the cartridge 6 into the holder 3 is interrupted.

The misinsertion precluding portion 52 is in the form of a round pinaccording to the above embodiment, whereas the portion 52 may be aprotective wall extending upright from the top of the guide 51 as seenin FIG. 16. However, if the precluding portion 52 is tapered downwardwith a decreasing diameter as shown in FIG. 17, the positioning cutout61 encounters difficulty in fitting around the portion 52, which istherefore undesirable.

According to the present invention, the front opening 62 of thepositioning cutout 61 is opposed to the fitting pin 5 when the cartridge6 is inserted into the holder 3 as inclined upward. Because the top endof the fitting pin 5 is positioned below the path L of movement of theupper end of the front opening 62, the pin 5 fits into the cutout 61without interfering with the insertion of the cartridge 6.

Suppose the minicartridge 8 is inserted in error into the holder 3 asinclined upward. The positioning cutout 61 of the minicartridge 8 isclosed at its front end, and the top end of the fitting pin 5 ispositioned above the point X of intersection of the pin 5 with the pathM of movement of the cartridge lower surface. The minicartridge 8 istherefore prevented from being inserted by the pin 5. Thus, theerroneous insertion of the minicartridge 8 can be effectively preventedmerely by determining the height of the fitting pin 5 as describedabove.

According to the present invention, the misinsertion precluding portion52 is positioned on the path M of movement of lower surface of thecartridge 6, so that the lower end of the cartridge 6 comes into contactwith the precluding portion 52 if the cartridge 6 is inserted in a wrongposture, i.e., as turned upside down, with the positioning cutout 61directed sideways (see FIG. 9). Because the portion 52 extends upwardsubstantially orthogonal to the plane of the chassis 1, the bottom wallof the cartridge 6 will not be warped upward by contact with theprecluding portion 52. The cartridge 6 can therefore be prevented fromriding onto the fitting pin 5. Thus, even if the cartridge 6 iserroneously inserted into the holder 3 in any way, the cartridge 6 canbe prevented from being loaded as it is into the holder 3.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for accommodating a cartridge comprisinga holder supported at one end thereof by a pivot on a chassis andpositionable as inclined upward with respect to the chassis for thecartridge to be inserted thereinto, a fitting pin being fixed to thechassis and fittable into a positioning cutout formed in a front endportion of the cartridge, the cutout being opened at an opening on afront side thereof and at a bottom side thereof, wherein the fitting pinhas a top end positioned below the path L of movement of an upper end ofthe front opening when the cartridge is inserted into the holder andpositioned above the point X of intersection of the fitting pin with thepath M of movement of a lower surface of the cartridge, wherein thecartridge which is of the regular type is insertable into the holderwith diminished upward or downward backlash, and a thin cartridge havinga smaller thickness than the regular cartridge is also insertable intothe holder, and the shortest distance E from the top end of the fittingpin to a top wall of the holder is made smaller than the thickness ofthe thin cartridge.
 2. A device for accommodating a cartridge comprisinga holder supported at one end thereof by a pivot on a chassis andpositionable as inclined upward with respect to the chassis for thecartridge to be inserted thereinto, a fitting pin being provided on thechassis and fittable into a positioning cutout formed in a front endportion of the cartridge, the cutout being opened at an opening on afront side thereof and a bottom side thereof, the cartridgeaccommodating device being characterized in that the fitting pincomprises a prop for supporting a lower surface of the cartridge, aguide formed on a top of the prop and tapered upward with a decreasingdiameter and a misinsertion precluding portion extending upward from atop of the guide and generally orthogonal to the plane of the chassis,the misinsertion precluding portion being positioned on the path M ofmovement of the lower surface of the cartridge when the cartridge isinserted into the holder and having a top end positioned below the pathL of movement of an upper end of the front opening when the cartridge isinserted into the holder.
 3. A cartridge accommodating device accordingto claim 2 wherein the misinsertion precluding portion is a round pin orprotective wall integral with the guide.